Pope's Morning Homily: Laziness Leads to Ease and Half-Hearted Service

In his homily at Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis warned against the temptations that lead Christians away from serving others.

According to Vatican Radio, the Holy Father reflected on today’s Gospel from St. Luke, in which Jesus speaks on the meaning of service through a parable in which a servant is asked to serve despite a long day working in the field. “When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants, we have done what we were obliged to do,’” Jesus says.

Regarding the servant, the Pope said that while many in the world would advise the servant to seek justice, Jesus instead stresses the importance of service as a total donation of oneself.

Jesus, he said, “presents himself as a servant, the one who came to serve and not to be served: He says so clearly. And so, the Lord shows the Apostles the path of those who have received the faith, that faith which works miracles. Yes, this faith will do wonders on the path of service.”

While conveying the importance of this spirit of service, the 77 year old Pontiff said that Christians are often tempted to stray away from this through laziness and selfishness. However, Christians are called to give all of themselves in worship, prayer, praise to God and service to others completely.

Echoing Jesus’ words, the Pope said: “When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants.’ Gratuitous service – service that asks for nothing in return".

Concluding his homily, Pope Francis encouraged the faithful to fight against the temptations against laziness, which he said, “leads to ease” and “half-hearted” service. Laziness also leads Christians to become the master instead of the service, thus giving way to arrogance, pride and treating others as inferiors.

“The Lord gives us these two great graces: humility in service, in order to be able to say, 'We are unprofitable servants - but servants - until the very end'; and hope while waiting for the manifestation, when the Lord will come to us,” the Pope concluded.